Improvement in revolving fire-arms



W. MASON.

Revolver.

Patented Mar. 27, 1866.

Hill

N-FTERS. PHDTD-LITHOGRAPHER. WASHINGTON. [1Cy rED STATES WILLIAM MASON, OF ILION, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO E. REMINGTON & SONS, OF SAME PLAGE.

IMPROVEMENT IN REVOLVING FIRE-ARMS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 53,539, dated March 27, 1866.

To all rwhom it may concern:

`Be it known that I, WILLIAM MASON, of Ilion, in the countyvot' Herkimer and State ot' New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Revolving Fire-Arms and yin Cartridge-Oase Extractors therefor; and I ,hereby declare the following to be a full, n'd exact description of the same, refer- `'ce,he1ng had to the accompanyingdrawings, alringa part of this speciication, in which- Figures l and 2 represent so much ot' the rior'wotl` a revolving fire-arm as will illusy invention, the hammer and extractor hown in different positions in the two Fig. 3 represents a longitudinal secl rough the barrel and cylinder and a all` portion of the frame, the remainingpor- (n slzbeing shown in full. Fig. 4 represents 'ewfovf the inside or working face of the carrdgefcase extractor, it being represented as mQved and turned around for this purpose. Similar letters of reference, where they ocin-the separate figures, denote like parts o .hefarm in all the drawings.

',My invention consists, iirst, in the use or application of a cartridge-case extractor applied to the exterior of the frame of a revolving tirearm, so that by operating it by the thumb or finger the empty cases may be withdrawn from thechambers as the cylinder is revolved to bring them within the reach of the extractor.

My invention further consists in combining with the extractor a hookthat actsin conjunction with the beveled end of the cylinder to insure the passage of the iiange of the cartridge-case within the inuence of the hook, so as to be caught and drawn out by it.

My invention further consists in forming a recess in the extractor for the head of the cartridge-case to enter, so as to admit of its being drawn out, turned, and ejected with ease and I certainty.

My invention is applicable to the alteration of revolving lire-arms already constructed, so

as to convert them into rear-loaders and ena ble ine to use metallic cartridge-cases in them, but can be applied to new arms also, if desired. To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will proceed to describe the same with reference to the drawings. The barrel, frame, and hammer are of the ordinary form and construction. The cylinder A is beveled off at its rear, and as seen at a, so that the hook of the extractor may take under the flange of the cartridge with more certainty.

At the side of the frame, in rear of the cylinder, and so that it may be conveniently operated by the thumb with which the hammer is usually drawn back, I arrange a cartridgeextractor, B, that has upon it a hook, c, or its equivalent, for catching forward of the flange ot' the cartridge so that it may be drawn out. The extractor covers a portion of the rear end of the cylinder. It has upon its under or iuside face, first, a circular recess, d, and leading from it a curved recess, e,`extending toward what may be termed the front face of the extractor, and, finally, a spherical recess, f, at, near, or under the hook c, as shown at Fig. 4.

On the pivot or hammer pin g there is abutton, h, Fig. 3, which is turned with the hammer as it is raised up or let down. When the hammer is on the half-cock notch the button It is in such position as thatit willtakc the curved groove c, and thus allow the extractor to be freely worked by the thumb; but. while this button is in the groove e the hammer cannot be brought back to the full-cock notch, and it is necessary, before the hammer can bebrought to the full-cock, that the extractor should be let down against the rear of the cylinder, or to the end of its downward motion, so as to bring the ring-recess d opposite to the button, and then the hammer and button can freely swing back or forward. rlhus the extract-or locks the hammer and the hammer locks the extractor under different circumstance; but both conducive to a safe use of the arm.

The object of what I call the spherical recess 7 f is to allow the cartridge-case, as it is drawn out, room to turn or change position, and thus come out easily, for while its tendency is to come out in a straight line, or in the line of the chamber, the extractor moving in the arc of a circle draws down the rear of the cartridge, and this recess f admits of -t-he slight turning of the case and allows it to be readily ejected.

Ata there is a spring-bolt in the extractor, which, when the extractor is down against the cylinder, shoots into a recess, m, in the frame and holds the extractor flrmly enough until the operator desires to use it, when a little force will move the spring-bolt as it moves over an inclined plane, o, leading from the re cess, which aids it back.

The hook c, I have represented as being permanent on the extractor, and of the same piece with it; but the hook may be hinged, and by means of a spring be thrown in front of the iange of the cartridge, so as to take hold of it when the extractor is operated.

C is the base-pin. Its general forni is seen at Fig. 3. There is a projection on it at r, which takes into a notch, s, in the under side ot' the barrel when the pin is clear down in its place. A screw, t, is also passed through the frame, so that its point will be a guide for the base-pin and prevent it from being drawn too far, for when the shoulder u on the base-pin comes against the point of the screw it can go no farther.

I have shown the ratchet oi' the cylinder as niade upon a part, u, extended or projected from the cylinder, and have also formed a recess in the frame, so that the cyliu'de' an, ratchet may be introducedY orrremoved the frame by a sdewirse motion.

Having thus fully described my inventio what I elaim therein as new, and desire to cure. by Letters Patent, is

l. In combination with a revolving-cylind tire-arm, a pivoted and hooked cartridge-ca extractor, arranged to operate in connecti therewith, substantially in the manner here described.

2. In combination with a hook upon the e tractor, the beveling ot' the rear end of the cyl inder so as to insure the entrance of the hook between the liange ot' the cartridge and the" f cylinder, substantially as described.

3. The recess f in the face of the extractor for allowing the cartridge-case to turn or move while it is drawn out in a curved line from a straight chamber, substantially as described.

WILLIAM MASON.

Witnesses:

W. H. THOMAS, O. H. P. ANDREWS. 

